1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the packaging of food items to be heated in a microwave oven, and pertains more particularly to a food item which is wrapped with a plastic film or other dielectric substrate such as paper having a thin coating so that the coating converts some of the microwave energy into thermal energy which promotes surface browning or crispening of the food while still packaged.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The heating of food articles with microwave energy has now become commonplace. It is widely recognized, however, that the molecular friction resulting from the high frequency oscillation fails to impart the proper amount of so-called browning and/or crispness to foods normally expected to possess such a quality. Consequently, foods of the foregoing type, after being heated or cooked in a microwave oven, do not possess the requisite degree of eye appeal and taste appeal that one normally expects.
Various attempts have been made to correct for the inherent lack of browning (or crispening) when employing microwave heating. Such attempts have included the physical modification of the microwave oven, namely, the adding of electric boiling elements that produce the needed shorter wavelength energy for obtaining the browning of the food. Also, means have been incorporated into the microwave oven which convert the high frequency energy by resistive losses to heat energy; here again, this requires the adding of elements to the microwave oven itself. At any rate, various lossy devices have been incorporated into microwave ovens in order to achieve the requisite or desired surface coloration of food.
Additionally, edible coatings have been added to the food itself in order to induce browning and crispening. Still further, various utensils or dishes have been devised which will promote browning.
Various shortcomings, however, have attended the different prior art attempts known to me. Some have been costly, particularly those requiring modification or the adding of components to a microwave oven. Utensils or dishes can be made to add heat to the food surface for browning but cannot be wrapped around the product. Furthermore, such utensils and dishes are costly and require preheating because of their large thermal mass.